We have long been in constant struggles to restore ,enhance vital Habitat in all reaches of our states. One of the largest struggles to restore valuable Habitat has been on and along our Great Mo. River reach. Since the Corps Bank Stabilization and Navigation project we on both sides of the Big Mo. River have lost over 80k acres of Old River Ox-Bows, side chutes / backwaters. We have seen nearly all of our Shallow lakes in the region drained to big monster Drainage ditches and compounded by the Continued Mo. River Channel Degradation. These negative impacts have caused Game fish populations to decline from their historical numbers, even further is the huge negative impact it has had on our states Migratory Habitat.

Today I ask You as a fellow Sportsmen, be it fishing, trapping, hunting, camping, hiking, bird watching or just and outdoor enthusiast who enjoys watching wildlife, viewing mother nature at her best to Stand in Support of Shallow Water Habitat Restoration projects along our Mo. River. Please take the time to Tell the IDNR & Corps just how vital Shallow Water Habitat Restoration projects are to our fishery to migratory game birds and non migratory Game birds, Tell them how vital these areas are to enhancing water quality and so goes the list. Most importantly TELL THEM HOW VITAL RESTORING OLD OXBOWS, CHUTES AND SHALLOW WETLAND BASINS ARE in creating greater Water storage capacity during high water events or epic flood. Tell them how vital these restored areas are in slowing down flood waters so that the damage caused by a potential flood is far less. Tell them that by restoring these vital areas we create more surface capacity to lesson pressures placed on levy systems reducing the potential and lesson the frequency of Failures.

Shallow Water Habitat Restoration Projects are in fact tools that will help us on both sides of the river mitigate future flood impacts to the region as a whole.

Just in our reach of the Mo. River since bank stabilization and Navigation project we have reduced the Mo. Rivers water carrying capacity by 67%. We have reduced natural sediment transportation to just 2% of its historical sediment transportation. This sediment transportation Deprivation plays a vital roll in the Continued Loss of Vital La Gulf Coast Wetlands which are Detrimental to ALL of North Americas Migratory species that call the Gulf Coast their wintering grounds.

I ask you Today to attend the meeting This Friday at 10 am at the Lewis & Clark state Park in Onawa Iowa to DEFEND & SUPPORT ALL SHALLOW WATER HABITAT RESTORATION EFFORTS WITH IN OUR REACH OF THE MO. RIVER.

If for some reason you cannot attend ask one of your friends to attend who you may share the field with but even then if you cant go you can send your Support comments to:

Tell the IOWA IDNR & NE Fish & Game that you Strongly Support the Army Corps of Engineers in their efforts to Restore, Enhance Shallow Water Habitat along the Missouri River on both side, Iowa & Nebraska.

Again I thank everyone for taking the time to read this letter and certainly I wish to thank everyone who takes 5 minutes of their time to Send a Strong Letter of Support for Shallow Water Habitat projects on the Mo. River.

PUBLIC MEETING FRIDAY IN ONAWA TO DISCUSS SHALLOW RIVER HABITAT PROJECT PROPOSALS ON MISSOURI RIVER

ONAWA – A public meeting to discuss proposed development of shallow river habitat projects by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, June 28th at the Lewis & Clark State Park Visitor’s Center, 21914 Park Loop, Onawa.

“We realize that there are a lot of different stakeholders who have thoughts and questions about these projects. We will have the people there who can discuss these proposals and provide the answers to the questions,” said Chuck Gipp, director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources who will moderate the meeting.

The shallow water habitat projects are being considered as part of the compliance requirement for the Endangered Species Act relating to operation of the Missouri River system.

State leaders are interested in hearing stakeholder input and perspectives on these projects. The meeting will include an overview presentation from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials and then a discussion of questions and comments from attendees.